Writing instruments



22, 1955 J. P. SPALLINI 2,704,533

WRITING INSTRUMENTS Filed Sept. 18, 1952 United States Patent O WRITINGINSTRUMENTS Jos Paulo Spallini, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, as-

signor to Lapis Johann Faber Ltda., Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, BrazilApplication September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310,159

Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.4)

The present invention relates to a new type of writing instrument and amethod of manufacturing the same.

Writing instruments are already known which have a metal tip with asmall ball which glides on the surface of the paper and which areprovided with ink reservoirs separate from the body or casing itself ofthe instrument, said reservoirs being made of metal, plastic material,rubber or other suitable material. Apart from these instruments, thereare others in existence the body or casing of which forms the inkreservoir, which, however, is made of plastic material.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved andnovel form of writing instrument and method of manufacture thereof ofthe type known as spherographical or ball point pens, so called becausetheir writing points are formed by a small ball housed in a metal body.

The invention is described below and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a writing instrument embodying theinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a board or piece of woodshowing channels or grooves of semicircular section, illustrating a stepin the method of manufacture;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of two like boards as shownin Figure 2, joined together and showing inside each channel or groove around wire of smaller diameter;

Figure 4 is a view in the direction of the arrow IV with the originalcasing shown in dash-dot lines and the ends of individual Writinginstruments shown in full lines; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken along the plane V--V of Fi 1.

its can be clearly seen from Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings, thewriting instrument in accordance with the invention, comprises a body orcasing generally denoted by of wood in the form of a pencil. The casing10 includes an upper half 12 and a lower half 14. The halves 12 and 14are provided on the inside thereof with semi-cylindrical grooves 16 and18, forming an ink reservoir protected by coatings 20, 22. A hole 24 isprovided in a metal part 26 arranged at one of its ends for the entry ofair. A metal tip or point 28 with the usual small writing ball 30 issecured at the other end of the writing instrument.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the manufacture of the writing instrument,which comprises the following steps.

(1) Impregnating a wood plate such as 32 with a substance which is notsoluble in the ink of the writing instrument, such as, for example, asolution of Bakelite, of a cellulose ester or one of the plasticmaterials group;

(2) Forming the protective coatings 20, 22 on the walls of thesemi-cylindrical grooves 16, 18, which process comprises essentially thefollowing details. Channels or grooves 16, 18 of semi-circular sectionare first cut in boards or pieces of wood such as 32 of suitabledimensions (Figure 2). To the grooved side of the board 32 there is thenapplied a thick layer or coating 34 of glue Patented Mar. 22, 1955 ICSwhich cannot be dissolved by the ink of the writing instrument and roundwires 36 are next introduced into each of the grooves or channels 16, 18or only into one (Figure 3), said Wires having a smaller diameter thanthe channel or grooves 16, 18. Two similar boards 32, 38 are thereafterjoined together at the grooved and glue-covered sides and the two boards32, 38, which form a whole, are subjected to strong pressure for thepurpose of obtaining a perfect joint. After the glue has dried, thewires 36 which, before being introduced, may be passed through asubstance which prevents sticking, are withdrawn. The double board 40thus obtained, with the channels 42 already completely prepared andprotected (Figure 4) are passed through a planer or cutter, whichseparates the cylindrical bodies or casings, there thus being obtained anumber of wooden writing instrument casings containing the channel 42comprising the two grooves 16, 18 (Figure 1) serving as the inkreservoir, which is protected by the coatings 20, 22 of glue. Finally,the metal tip or point 28 with the small ball 30 is applied.

The protective layer or coating formed by the glue coatings 20, 22 maybe reinforced by another thin layer from among materials insoluble inthe ink of the writing instrument, namely, Bakelite, cellulose esters orplastic materials, or animal or vegetable glues.

The application of this layer may be effected by either of the followingmethods:

(a) Painting the channel by means of a small round brush with a suitablesolution of one of said materials; or

(b) Filling the channel with a solution of one of the materialsmentioned above, and allowing the surplus to run off. A certain quantityadheres to the walls of the channel and, after the solvent hasevaporated, forms the protective layer.

What I claim is:

l. An ink operated spherographic writing instrument, comprising, incombination, a wooden casing including two grooved halves havingsurfaces abutting against one another, a glue material insoluble in theink operating the spherographic writing instrument, said glue materialjoining said abutting surfaces of said halves of said casing so as toform a body having a central channel for the reception of the ink, ametal tip arranged at one end of said body, a writing ball arranged atone end of said metal tip so as to close one end of said channel, and aprotective coating arranged on the inner wall of said channel of saidbody, said protective coating being insoluble in ink.

2. A writing instrument as claimed in claim l, and a thin layerconsisting of a material insoluble in ink, said thin layer covering saidprotective coating on the side thereof turning opposite to said body.

3. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 2, said thin layerconsisting of Bakelite.

4. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 2, said thin layerconsisting of a cellulose ester.

5. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 2, said thin layerconsisting of a plastic material.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS646,070 Goldsmith Mar. 27, 1900 2,303,916 De Samsonow Dec. l, 19422,452,200 Kvalnes et al. Oct. 26, 1948 2,455,427 Loughborough Dec. 7,1948 2,494,412 Simkins Jan. 10, 1950 2,557,409 Brenson .Tune 19, 19512,591,771 Bergey Apr. 8, 1952 2,606,529 Wagner Aug. l2, 1952

